Leveling-rod



(No Model.)

W J. RITCHIE.

LBVBLING ROD.

INVBNTOR:

BY YZ;

Patented Dec. 20, 1887.

i FEEI'EIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHII g ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcEo WALTER J. RITCHIE, OF LIMA, OHIO.

LEVELlNG-ROD..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 375,197, dated December 20, 1887. 'Application filed January 10,. 18H7. Serial No. 223,938. (No model.)

To al whom,- z't may concern.'

Be it known that I, WALTER J. Rrrrcnin, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lima,

in the county of Allen and State of Ohio, have from the rodmen.

4The object is further to provide improved means for holding the target temporarily secured at any elevation on the leveling rod or staff. The construction and combination of parts are as hereinafter described and claimed.

In accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a face view of the target and a portion of the leveling-rod. Fig. 2 is a face view of half of the same parts, a portion of the target being broken out. Fig. 3 is a vertical enlarged section, on line y y, Fig. 4, of the target and rod. Fig. 4 is a cross section of the target and rod in line new, Fig. 1. Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are plan views of different parts of the target.

The face of the leveling-rod A" is channeled or grooved, and an internally-toothed rack, a, is attached to it, so as to form one side of the channel, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. On the face of the rod A, within said channel, areinscribed numerals for indicating the height theA target B may be from the ground or base on which the rod A is set. These numerals are double or in two rows, those on the left expressing feet and those on the right expressing tenths of a foot. Thus the compound or double number 33, which appears in Fig. l through the upper opening of the target B, indicates that the latter is elevated three feet and threetenths of a foot from the base.

Having thus indicated the peculiarities of the rod A, I will next describe the copstruction of the target, its operation or mode of use, and the means I employ for locking it at any desired elevation on the rod.

The body or frame of the target B is ovalshaped and composed of three parts, to wit: the front plate, b, Fig. 5, which has two apertures, 1 and 2; a back plate, b2, Fig. 6, having aperture l, which registers with the upper hole, 1, in the front plate, b, when the parts are secured together by screws, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and an intermediate plate, b3, Fig. 7, having an aperture, 1, which registers with the before described opening 1 in the front and back plates, b b2. The lower portion of this intermediate plate, b?, has a circular recess, 3, Fig. 7, Within which the dial C, Fig. 8, is pivoted centrally, Fig. 4, by means of a rotating journal, c,which projects through both plates b b2, and has a small spur-pinion, d, keyed on its inner end, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6. On the back of the back plate, b2, is a fixed stud, c', serving as a journal for another small gear, d', Figs. 4, 6, which meshes with the first-named gear d, and also withv the rack a ou rod A, when the target is in working position on said rod. (Shown in Figs.` 1 and4.) The dial C being keyed on journal c, as before stated, it will be seen that when the target B is moved up or down on the rod A a rotary `motion will be imparted to the dial by means ofthe intermeshing rack a and gears d d. The purpose of the dial C is to express fractional parts of a foot less than tenths, (which, as already indieated, are expressed by the righthand column of numerals on rod A.) The dial is divided by equidistant radial lines, Fig. S, in ten equal spaces, 5, and on the several radial lines are inscribed numbers from 1 to 0, inclusive. Thus the numeral 1 expresses one hundredth of a foot, the numeral 2 expresses two hundredths, and the symbol 0 expresses ten hundredths of a foot. Each of the spaces 5 is. graduated or divided by short radial lines to express subdivisions of a foot less than hundredths. The dial C makes one revolutionin each tenth of a foot as the target moves up or down the rod A.

I attach the target B to the rod, so it may slide freely up or down thereon, by means of angular ilanges or dogs e, Figs. 8 and 4, which take into longitudinal grooves formed in the side of the rod.

To hold the target temporarily fixed at any desired elevation on the rod A, I employ fric- ICO tion-clamps, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. These clamps are attached to one of the anges or dogs e, and are formed of short levers f, Fig. 3, fulcrumed, and having rubber caps f', applied to their bent arms or heads that project through openings in said ange e. To cause such capped heads f to bear on the rod A, I arrange suitable springs, g, beneath the longer arms of said levers. To release the clampso that the target can be slid up or down on the rod A, I applya sliding button, h, with its head bearing on the larger arms of the levers, so that by pressing on the said button the springs g are compressed and the rubbercapped levers lifted out of contact with the rod.

The operation of the invention has been already mainly indicated; but I will here briefiy describe it more in detail. The target being placed on the rod A, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, the rodman sets the rod vertical at a point whence it is plainly visible to the engineer or surveyor-say six hundred to one thousand feet distant. The rodman then places his free hand ou the target B, and by pressure upon the button h, Figs. 2, 3, raises the clamping-levers f out of contact with the rod, and then slides the target up or down (as manually or vocally directed by the surveyor) until the same is coincident with the horizontal line to which the leveling-instrument is set, when the rodman at once relieves the button h of pressure, thus allowing the lever f to clamp the rod and hold the -target securely in place. The surveyor may then read the elevation through the glass and duly record it without waiting for rodman tobring orsignal it to him. If the target beset as shown in Fig. 1, the record would be 1. The combination, with the leveling-rod,

inscribed with numerals in double column for indicating height in feet and fractions thereof, and having a rack, a, of the target B, adapted to slide up and down thereon and having the upper and lower apertures, 1 and 2, the circular rotating dial inscribed with numbers indicating fractions of a linear foot, and arranged between the plates of the said target so that but one of its numerals may be seen at one time through aperture 2, the gears d d', and rotating journal c, and fixed stud c, all as shown and described.

2. rlhe combination, with the leveling-rod A, having numerals for indicating height, the rack a, xed at one side thereof, of the target having the upper opening, l, and lower opening, 2, the gears d d', and the rotating dial c, having numerals indicating hundredths of a foot, all as shown and described, and operat` ing as specified.

3. The fulcrumed leversf, having rubbercapped heads, the springs g, and sliding button h, arranged as specified, in combination with the sliding target and the rod, as shown and described.

WALTER J. RITCHIE.

Vitnesses:

JNO. D. FoYn, W. H. MOGINNIs. 

